Video-on-demand to fill need for faster, reliable internet — Aflix

Hollywood mobile streaming service, Aflix which launched in Nigeria and two other African countries last week, has said that it foresees video-on-demand filling the need for faster and reliable internet service and driving the Internet market to support industries such as Aflix which is specialised in streaming Hollywood content via Smartphones.

In a chat with Vanguard, Aflix’s Director of Business Development, Nyasha Mutsekwa said Aflix believes that its services will make significant impact on the cinema industry, “since we are offering the latest movies which will be available for viewing right in people’s living rooms.”

He noted that the Internet TV industry is a billion dollar industry that Aflix is looking to revolutionize how content is viewed in Africa.

Contrary to insinuations that the firm’s launch in Nigeria is in response to iRoko TV’s launch of similar service in Africa recently, Mutsekwa said, “We have been working on a solution for Nigeria for over two years now and we are more in direct competition with Multichoice’s DSTV since we are focusing on the latest TV shows and movies.

iRoko is rather responding to our plan to launch in the market. Our objective is to bridge the Hollywood and African continent market.”

Speaking further on the service, Mutsekwa said, “We are bringing the luxury of theatre going into African homes, at a price point that is affordable.

Aflix customers will be able to watch Hollywood titles, from the classic favourites, to current new releases and Blockbuster hits,” adding that, “With the use of smartphones on the rise in Africa and the reality that movie going is growing, this is the perfect time to launch our product and change the way Africans watch and enjoy their favourite content.”

According to him, when new users sign up for the service, they will be given a fourteen day free trial with no strings attached and after the period, choose to subscribe for just $9.99, about N1,600.00 a month or opt out totally.

Users also get access to pay-per-view content with premium movie rentals starting as low as $2.99, about N480.00. Users can opt to only use the pay-per-view option, simply just renting the titles they want to watch at that moment.

Aflix aims to develop set-top boxes to give users the ‘living room experience.’ By simply plugging in the device into their TV sets, Aflix users can enjoy Hollywood entertainment on their ‘big screens.’